Bracket assembly for airfoil type louver blade



Oct. 17, 1961 E. c. HALLOCK 3,004,305

BRACKET ASSEMBLY FOR AIRFOIL TYPE LOUVER BLADE Filed Aug. 11, 1959 E r C5 5-? 1 1 r 7 I 3 :l I? e I: 8

INVENTOR EDWARD OHALLOCK BY r214 jav sf H IS ATTORNEYS United StatS Pa o I 1 3,004,306 BRACKET ASSEMBLY FOR AIRFOIL TYPE I LOUVER BLADE Edward C. Hallock,-86 Woodland Ave., Summit, NJ. Filed Aug. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 833,063 Claims. (Cl. 2063) This invention relates to louvers and sunshades and it relates more particularly to louvers and sunshades having improved airfoil type louver blades, and brackets for mounting such blades on building structures.

Louver blades are well known in the art, as are means for mounting them. The prior blades are usually mounted in frames or between frame members and may be either fixed or adjustable relative to the frames. The frames are usually mounted in building openings so that the blades are also disposed in the openings and do not project from the building to any substantial degree.

The present invention provides an extremely simple and effective means for mounting an aerodynamically shaped airfoil type louver blade on the exterior of a building structure in such a manner as to give the effect of unsupported blades thereby providing a unique architectural and decorative effect not heretofore obtainable.

In accordance with this invention I have provided aerodynamically shaped louver blades and brackets connected to one edge of each blade and adapted to be secured to a vertical or horizontal surface with the blades extending outwardly from and in spaced relation to the surface to give a free floating or unsupported appearance to the louver or sunshade formed from the blades. The bracket has a base portion to be secured to the horizontal or vertical surface and a forwardly extending bifurcated portion fitting around an edge of the blade to support it. A screw extends through a portion of the bracket and the edge of the blade and into a threaded portion or bore in a bar inserted in the blade and abutting against the interior thereof opposite to the bracket. The bar preferably conforms to the shape of the edge of the airfoil blade adjacent to the bracket and thereby reinforces the blade and retains it against flexing even when subjected to high wind velocities.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon further consideration of the specification and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a portion of a louver including blades and brackets embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in sections taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional View of a portion of the blade and the supporting bracket.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of tubular frame members 2, 3, 4 are mounted on the face of a building for supporting a plurality of aerodynamically shaped louver blades 5, 6, etc. embodying the present invention. The blades are supported on the frame members by means of brackets 7, 8 etc.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the louver blades 5, 6, etc. may be mounted in parallel relation with their major width generally horizontal and they can be spaced any desired distance apart.

FIG. 3 discloses the bracket and blade structure in greater detail. The bracket 7 has a major body portion 10 or foot adapted to be bolted, riveted or otherwise secured to the frame member 2 or the surface of the building. Projecting forwardly from the lower edge of the foot 10 are diverging legs or lips 11 and 12 which fit around one edge 13 of the blade 5. The diverging lips 11 and 12 preferably conform to the edge of the airfoil blade to provide a suitable seat and support for the blade. A primary advantage of arrangement is that Patented Oct. 17, 1961 1 the length, width and maximum thickness of the blade can be modified considerably, and the same bracket may be as long as the shape of the. engaging edge of the blade is not changed. It will be understood that each of the frame members 2, 3 and 4 may be provided with a bracket for each blade.

As shown in FIG. 3 the lower diverging lip 12 is of greater length than the upper lip, to provide additional support, but this is not necessary. The lips 11 and 12 may be of equal width and length. The bracket may also be one of several designs. For example, the lips 11 and 12 can be oriented in an upward or downward direction forming an acute angle with the plane of the frame member so that the blade 5 is held in inclined relation to the supporting surface.

The blades are secured to the brackets by means of screws 14 which pass through the bracket at the junction of the lips 11 and 12, through the edge of the blade and are screwed into threaded parts of a connecting bar 15. The bar v15 extends substantially the full length of the blade and, as illustrated, fits in the edge thereof opposing the bracket 7. The rod may have tapped holes therein aligning with similarly positioned holes in the bracket and airfoil or it may contain a slot 16 extending lengthwise of the bar and having longitudinally extending serrations 17 and 18 in its opposing surfaces which form threads which the screws 14 engage in threaded relation. The bar and the groove and serrations or threads therein are formed by an extruding operation. Using either arrangement it is apparent that the blades can be readily attached to the brackets and are reinforced and supported laterally and internally.

The bar 15 may be guided and retained in the edge of the blade by means of ribs 19 and 20 extending lengthwise of the blade.

The above-described bracket and blade structures permit the blades to be assembled on the exterior of a building in front of the windows therein or in a horizontal array to form a canopy or sunshade. The inclination of the blades can be modified to meet the requirements for various parts of the country to provide shade without unduly restricting the view or passage of indirect light between the blades. As indicated above, the dimensions of the blades can be varied and by appropriate arrangement of the brackets, the blades may be strongly supported while appearing to be suspended freely in space.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the form of the invention described herein is illustrative and that the invention is limited only as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A mounting assembly for a hollow airfoil shaped louver blade having opposite side surfaces joined by longitudinally-extending leading and trailing edges, comprising a bracket having diverging lips adapted to receive one of said edges of said louver blade and engage portions of said side surfaces, and a foot on and extending from said bracket for mounting said bracket on a surface, a bar insertable within the louver blade adjacent to the edge received by said lips and means extending through said bracket and said edge and into said bar for securing said blade to said bracket.

2. A mounting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bar conforms to said edge of said blade and bracket and said bar and edge have aligned holes drilled therein, said bar being threaded to receive screws extending through said holes.

3. A mounting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bar has a slot extending lengthwise thereof having extruded threads on opposite sides of said slot, said blade and bracket having aligned holes through which screws trfiiy be inserted for engagement with said extruded eads.

3 4. A mounting bracket assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bar andbracket have complementary surfaces conforming to the interior and exterior of said edge of the blade, x j 5. A mounting bracket assembly as claimed in claim 4, said blade has means on the inner surface thereof designed tohold the bar against displacement transversely of the bIade. J

UNITED STATES PATENTS Porter Oct. 17, 1933 Crouch Apr. 15, 1947 Miller Aug. 21, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain ---I-,.-.. May 1950 

